Something In The Water
by Luke In Blue
Summary: SLASH, WiltEduardo. To provide some relief in the heat of summer, Wilt sneaks Eduardo out to the lake for cool dip and they make a very critical discovery in eachother during this brief little venture.


1**Something In The Water**

**By:** Fala "beware the tired feets!" Tzipori

**Written:** Winter, 2005  
**Fandom:** Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends  
**Rating:** G  
**Genre:** Romance

**Pairing(s):** Wilt/Eduardo  
**Warnings:** slash/male+male love, fluff, a touch of angst, ill-advised behaviour of the bus-nicking persuasion, Jeremy Paxman.

**Plot:** To provide some relief in the heat of summer, Wilt sneaks Eduardo out to the lake for cool dip and things come out. And by "things," in this context, I mean "imaginary friends." :P

**Spoilers:** Nein.

**Thanks and dedications:** Dedicated to Danni aka Xellinamoku, aka Grips for being possibly the only other W/E shipper on the face of the interbutt and inspiring me with her own fic-lovelies. Also, to Weyrdchic, who is simply wonderful in so, so many ways. Much love fer ye both.

**Disclaimers:** Wilt, Eduardo, and everyone else is the property of Craig McCracken, Cartoon Network, and other people who are not me. Here's hoping dear Mr. McCracken is not reading this right now, else he'd probably have my guts for his bootlaces :P

**Story Notes:** Er, none for this one, actually. Just hope you enjoy

**Something In The Water**

What was possibly the heaviest, most disgustingly humid heat wave ever had fallen over Foster's Home for Imaginary friends like a dead cat. With the air conditioner broken and no funds for the repairs, the sizeable populace of the old mansion was experiencing a total and utter burnout.

Madame Foster and Frankie were in the sitting room, quietly melting into the couch as another episode of "University Challenge" blared at them from the television. It was a grave testament to their situation that neither of them was hurling abuse (or blunt objects) at the screen, or more, to the point, Jeremy Paxman. Meanwhile, in the dining hall, Bloo and Mac were sat across from each other at the table, taking turns flicking ice cubes into eachother's mouths. Even Coco's leafy plumes were looking rather wilted. Ironically enough, the only member of the Foster household who didn't in some way resemble dying foliage was Wilt, himself. The tall imaginary friend, having barely a scrap of fat on his body and even less fur or clothing, was largely unaffected by the crushing heat and as cheerful as ever, occupying himself by making massive quantities of iced tea and cold cucumber sandwiches. The fact that the kitchen wasn't really built for someone of his height didn't seem to affect him either, and he hummed merrily whilst doing imaginatively painful things to his back.

Once he'd made enough tea and sandwiches to feed several mongol hordes, Wilt set the lot on a trolley and went about distributing it throughout the mansion. The others were nothing short of blissful to receive the offerings of cool, refreshing edibles. The displays of thanks Wilt recieved from his fellow residents ran the gamut from a hug round the leg to promises of music ballads written in his name. Bloo shook him warmly by the hand whilst artfully trying to pinch a few extra sandwiches behind his back. Thankfully, his efforts were thwarted by a well-aimed ice cube from Mac, who nodded his thanks. The extra spoonful of sugar Wilt had added was apparently enough to perk up Frankie and Madame Foster, for they soon were passionately throwing carpet slippers and tissue boxes at the television where Jeremy Paxman was presenting a plated trophy to a contestant who looked as though he'd really rather be receiving a reward of the monetary persuasion. After plying a happily "co-co"-ing Coco with her share, Wilt headed for his last destination. Upon arrival, he let go of the trolley and knocked on the door to the room he shared with Bloo, Coco and Eduardo.

"Come in," rumbled the answer from inside.

Wilt pushed open the door with the trolley and wheeled it into the room. He looked up to the towering top bunk where the familiar mountain of violet shag was placed.

"Hey, Ed," Wilt called up, "I brought you some tea. It's nice and cold."

There was a tremendous groaning of springs followed by a thunderous clonk of hooves on wood as the big imaginary friend shifted and edged off the bed. The heat wave had hit him rather harder than most, owing to his coat of dense, heavy fur. He'd even traded his usual cargo trousers for a more drafty kilt and had stayed in bed nearly all day long. He looked quite miserable.

Wilt wasted no time in pouring the remaining tea into Eduardo's enormous tankard and presenting it to his friend, who accepted it gratefully.

"Muchos gracias," Eduardo murmured against the rim of the tankard between gulps.

"Here, have some cucumber sandwiches," Wilt said proffering the plate. "They're nice and cold, too."

Eduardo set the tankard down and very delicately picked one of the tiny sandwiches off the plate, taking great care not to pierce the bread with his hoof. He popped the little morsel in his mouth. Even if Wilt's culinary skills were bland at best, at present, plain cuc n' cream-cheese really hit the spot. He helped himself to another while Wilt beamed.

"Holding up all right, Ed?" Wilt asked conversationally.

"Ugh," Ed moaned, mopping his dampened brow. "Is so hot under all this fur. I can not even move without sweating like livestock."

Wilt resisted the urge to wrinkle his would-be nose. He'd never voice as much aloud, but Ed didn't smell any better than he looked.

As if reading Wilt's mind, Eduardo murmured, "I could use a cold shower." He languidly swept the last sandwich into his mouth. As he was chewing, his eyes lit up. "Or better yet, a cold swim," he mused aloud, a toothy grin stretching across his face.

Wilt winced slightly. "I'm sorry to tell you this, Ed, but from what I hear, the water in the pool is just as hot as the air outside. And about the half the household is crammed into it at the moment."

Eduardo harrumphed and flopped heavily down onto the lower bunk where Bloo slept. Wilt felt a slight lurching sensation in his stomach as a crop of purple hairs came loose from Eduardo and adhered themselves to the bed sheets. Bloo would not be pleased to find his bed dusted with loose, sweaty fur. Wilt, seeing as he slept on the floor underneath Bloo's bed, was certain he'd hear all about it.

Eduardo, however, severed this chain of dread with a sudden grin, inspiration writ large over his features. "What about the lake?"

Wilt was taken aback, "Er, isn't that place off-limits? There's a fence round it, after all."

The larger friend shrugged. "Senior Mac says that he used to sneak over there with Bloo all the time before he came here."

Wilt bit his lower lip. "I . . . Don't know. It's pretty far away and you can't drive the Foster's bus because your feet are too big for the pedals, remember?"

Eduardo took a moment to process this answer before he sighed resignedly, and muttered, "Si . . . si . . ."

For a few seconds, Wilt simply regarded the other friend, ethics warring with sympathy. Finally, between the silence and the pitiful slump Eduardo had fallen into, the tall friend felt his proverbial heartstrings being tugged to the point of snapping. He sighed. "I'll take you, Ed."

Eduardo looked up, surprised. "Really? I don't want to get you into trouble . . ."

Wilt just smiled, "Hey, what're friends for, right? And you do look pretty miserable."

Eduardo shot his friend a grateful smile and rose from his seat on the bed. The two of them then made their way downstairs, trying to remain as inconspicuous as a bright red thirteen-footer and a half-tonne bull creature in a kilt could be. Miraculously, they managed to swipe the keys to the bus and slip out the front door unseen.

The nip of guilt hurried Wilt's steps as they strode across the front lawn toward the bus. He shouldn't be sneaking out like this, stealing the bus behind Madame Foster's back. However, he was bound and determined never to let a friend down and he felt the slightest bit uplifted as Eduardo clambered into the seat behind him. Encouragement steeling his resolve, he shoved in the key and started the bus. Before the noise could attract any unwanted attention, he slammed his foot down on the pedal and roared away from the house at top speed.

Within the next five minutes, they arrived at the edge of a wood and piled out of the bus. Wilt carefully stowed the keys in one of his socks and the two of them ventured into the trees. Eduardo swaggered more than anything else, the heat collecting under his fur, pressing down on him like a weight.

A short ways into the woods, they came upon a chainlink fence. Even Wilt had to laugh at the Mac-sized hole that had been dug defiantly below the "No Trespassing" sign. None of them, however, were small enough to fit through a hole, so Eduardo made short work of the issue by charging horns-first into the fence. Only a few minutes later, they saw the sparkle of water through the trees. Soon, they were stood at the edge of the lake and Eduardo was clicking his cloven hooves together in anticipation. Wilt respectfully turned round to give his friend a little privacy as he peeled off his kilt. Only when he heard the great, resounding splash did he turn round to find a kilt at his feet and Eduardo several yards away, laughing gleefully and prancing about in the water.

"Aaah, I am alive again! Viva Eduardo!" the big friend roared amongst huge cascades of water, flapping his arms as if he were trying to take off.

Wilt laughed to himself, feeling a sweep of elation at having been able to help a friend. The satisfaction he felt when he made someone else happy served as a sort of natural high for him and he casually leaned back against a tree, content to quietly revel in his friend's joy.

Eduardo dove beneath the surface and re-emerged in the middle of the lake treading water, his shaggy fur plastered flat and shiny to his skin. He waved wildly with one hoof and shouted something that Wilt could not hear over the splashing.

"Sorry?" he called out.

"I said, come in!" Eduardo shouted from the water. "You don't have to stand over there by yourself! Come swim with me!"

"Okay, Ed!" Wilt answered brightly, and hunkered down to tug off his shoes and socks. After removing his wristband with his teeth and depositing it by his things, he marched down to the lake and straight into the water with no hesitation at all. It wasn't until he'd gone far enough out that he could no longer stand that Eduardo sensed there was something very wrong. Wilt had gone under and not come back up. Generally, that wasn't a good sign.

Eduardo wasted no time in swimming out to where he'd seen Wilt disappear and dove. Opening his eyes underwater, he immediately spotted the long, spindly silhouette drifting lazily toward the bottom. With due amounts of haste and underwater scrambling, he gathered his friend up in the crook of an arm and kicked for the surface. They came up together, Eduardo gasping for air, Wilt coughing and sputtering.

Eduardo tread water and supported his friend's slight weight, patting him carefully on the back till he'd hacked all of the water out of his lungs. "Wilt, you loco! What were you thinking? Why didn't you swim!"

Wilt caught his breath after a series of harsh gasps for air, and turned to face Eduardo, smiling slightly. "Oh, I'm sorry, Ed. I can't swim," he informed the larger friend quite casually for all that his voice was weak from choking.

Eduardo's jaw dropped. "But . . . Then why did-?" He stopped himself, knowing the answer perfectly well. Wilt had run headlong into the water because Eduardo had asked him to.

"I suppose I should have realised this," Eduardo murmured quietly. Wilt suddenly felt very self-conscious, uncomfortably aware of how his friend was deliberately trying not to look at the stump where an arm had once been.

Quite keen to direct attention away from his stitches and scars, Wilt covered his unease with his usual bright smile, "Yes, well, sorry if I ruined your fun."

Before Eduardo could argue that it was he who should be sorry for not thinking it through in asking his friend to join him, Wilt continued, "I'd still be happy to swim with you. I could just hold onto you, if that's okay. It feels quite nice, actually."

When Eduardo looked at him strangely, Wilt spluttered, "The water, I mean. The water feels nice." He coughed a little, thankful that his natural red colouring served as excellent camouflage for blushing.

"Ah, okay, Wilt." Eduardo answered, still treading water and willing the inexplicable awkwardness away.

"Er, Ed?"

"Si?"

". . . You can let go of me, now."

Eduardo blinked as Wilt's words reached him and he realised he had yet to release his hold on his friend. He felt his face grow warm as the awkwardness came right back twofold. He fumbled for words. "But if I let go, you will sink. I don't want you to drown."

"I won't drown. Like I said, I'll hold onto you." Wilt said.

Eduardo opened his mouth to speak, then looked away. "You are holding onto me now," he said quietly.

Wilt's smile became a rictus as he looked down and saw that he'd subconsciously snaked his one arm as far as it would go round Eduardo's broad middle.

The silence pressed in round them as the water lapped at their shoulders. It was all Eduardo could do to keep treading water. Wilt lowered his gaze, ashamed, his bad eye quivering ineffectively.

"I'm sorr-" He started, only to falter. Feeling his friend's inquiring gaze upon him, he took a deep breath and tried again. "Ed, am I . . . making you uncomfortable?"

Eduardo stared at his friend, shocked and unable to answer. After a stretch of painful quiet, Wilt carefully withdrew his arm, pulling it back toward himself. ". . . Because you can take me back to shore if I am," he continued, his gaze still downturned. "I've cooled off enough."

It took a few moments for this to sink in. Just as Wilt was about to speak again, he felt Eduardo kick out and they were moving toward the shallows. Not a word was spoken as they ploughed through the water, unhurried, but diligent. Wilt remained silent as he was held carefully in the crook of Eduardo's arm and did not comment when he felt his toes dragging along the lake's floor. Before long, Eduardo's hooves touched bottom and he was walking though the water toward the bank, the other friend still held fast, long legs trailing behind him.

"Er, thanks, Ed, but I can take it from he-" Wilt was cut off abruptly as he was swept into a massive, soggy bear hug. He stiffened at the shock of sudden contact, but Eduardo remained firm, holding him close so that Wilt was kneeling on the floor of the lake to accommodate their huge height difference

Eduardo mumbled something into Wilt's shoulder. Wilt, still taken somewhat aback by this sudden display, cocked his head, mindful of Eduardo's sharp horns. "Er, sorry?"

Eduardo turned his head slightly so that his voice was no longer muffled. "I said, 'no'," he answered fiercely. "I am never being more comfortable with anyone as I am with you. You are never making me uncomfortable, _ever_. Entiende?"

Wilt could only stare ahead for a few seconds while these words took their sweet time hitting home. Finally, he released a breath he didn't remember holding. "Got it," he said in a small sort of voice, shyly looping his arm round Eduardo once again and leaning his head against the curve of a horn.

For a prolonged moment, two of them remained where they were, standing and kneeling, respectively, holding each other. Water dripped from their limbs, eliciting a glimmering ballet of ripples round them. The woods were still and save for the plink-plink of droplets on water, the only sound they could hear was their own breathing.

Then, Wilt just had to ruin the moment. "Ed, not to sound repetitive, but you can let go of me now. I'm definitely not going to drown here."

Eduardo chuckled and Wilt could feel the other friend grinning against his shoulder. "Why? Am I making you uncomfortable?"

Wilt grinned at the half-taunt, amiably drawing away from the other friend to face him. "If this is uncomfortable, then I don't want to know what comfortable is," he joked.

Then, quite unexpectedly, Eduardo replied. "Are you sure?"

Wilt blinked lopsidedly and stared, surprised.

"Because if you wanted things to get . . . More comfortable . . ." Eduardo shuffled his feet underwater, triggering further ripples. They pealed away from him, making his reflection shimmer. He looked away, but could not stop a shy smile from inching over his toothy mouth. ". . . Between us, I mean. Well, I would not mind."

Wilt's mouth fell open a little bit and he realised then that he had been holding his breath. As he slowly exhaled, he discovered the pleasant tightness that had developed in his chest, making him feel light-headed with . . . Embarrassment? Elation? . . . Perhaps a hybrid of the two. He felt as if _something_ had been hiding, deep inside him for a very long time. It was something he could not see or understand, but could just hear the little skitter of its feet in the back of his mind as it eluded him.

Whatever it was, it had just been released.

Perhaps, the thought occurred to him, that little _something_ was a revelation.

Wilt felt himself grow warm in a dizzying clash with the water lapping at his hips. "Ed, I . . ." he stammered, feeling his own smile occurring of its own volition. He shook his head, overcome with a sort of blissful, bewildered relief. "I-I don't know what to say."

Eduardo timidly looked up. "Not 'Sorry,' I hope."

Within a split second of rapid comprehension, the other friend was clutching himself round the middle, laughing fit to die. Eduardo found himself catching an armful of hysterical, convulsing Wilt and soon, he too was laughing along with him.

As their mirth died down to a quiet series of "hm"s, Wilt looked up from where he was being held in Eduardo's dripping arms, painfully aware that he was grinning like a true lunatic. He was somewhat relieved to see that Eduardo was sporting a likewise crazily huge smile. Mutual lunacy, he decided, was okay. He lifted his long arm and tentatively touched the side of Eduardo's face, eliciting a rumble of pleasure from the other friend. He wondered if, perhaps, Eduardo had picked up on that little _something_ in him before even he, himself had realised it was there. Perhaps they had subconsciously detected it in each other.

In response to the touch, Eduardo brought Wilt all the closer into one his typical hugs, only this was rather atypical in that it included affectionate nuzzles against the side of the other friend's face. Then, Eduardo's big nose brushed dangerously close to a particular spot and Wilt froze for a moment. He had always been privately self-conscious about his scars and stitches and he felt a pang of intense unease whenever someone was near enough to touch them. Once, Mac had quite innocently tapped the stump that remained of his arm during a teatime conversation. Wilt had gone into a panic attack that had taken a good five minutes to quell and some very tricky white-lying to cover up. It would take quite a bit more time and patience for him to become comfortable with such close contact. He only hoped Eduardo was up for it.

The friend in question was now shifting his hoof, tilting Wilt's head up till he could feel the warmth of breath on his upper lip . . .

"Ed."

Eduardo blinked in surprise as Wilt lifted a hand and rested the pads of his first two fingers against one of his long incisors. "Hm?"

"I really think we should take this slowly," Wilt said as carefully and gently as possible, knowing how easy it was to reduce Eduardo to a sniffling, tearful heap. "It's not you. I just . . . I need a little time. Is that okay?"

Eduardo blinked again, taking a moment to turn this over in his mind, and for a dreadful moment, Wilt was afraid he wasn't going to take it well. However, Eduardo just smiled. "Si, of course. Sorry, Wilt."

In spite of himself, Wilt couldn't help but smile. "Hoy, cramping my style, are you?"

The two friends shared a laugh and finally progressed to extracting themselves from the lake. After pulling on their respective clothes, they trekked back to the bus and Wilt started the engine. As he pulled away from the edge of the woods, he felt Eduardo leaning up on the back of his seat, supporting his weight with his elbows.

"Do you think we will get into trouble for this?"

Wilt laughed a bit to himself. "Well, honestly, I don't think anyone else really needs to know about this unless we want them to. I mean, it's pretty personal, isn't it? Between us-two, like? Not that I'm ashamed or anything. I just don't think we really need to go round Foster's holding hands to and from dinner or anything. I mean, after all, you never know whose creator grew up to be a God-fearing, conservative-Republican-"

Wilt's long ramble was cut off by a loud snicker and good-humoured pat of the shoulder from Eduardo. "I meant for stealing the bus, Wilt."

_- end._


End file.
